One Year Later...

On July 22^nd Brian and I celebrated 1 year on this CRAAAZY Adventure!

Champagne Wishes & Caviar Dreams

It all started with a dream, as do many Adventures.  A dream of getting out of debt (the hard way: Working For It). A dream of owning a house. A dream of a couple of new cars. A dream of  independence. A dream of living like the ‘other half’ (What was it like to have money?)

What we found from these dreams is that it isn’t always easy! Saving money isn’t easy! In fact it’s down right HARD! But we are getting there! Our loft 1^st year goal was missed BUT we have learned some valuable lessons and with a synch of the belt we will be able to make that up AND continue to year number two’s goal!

A Love To Last A Life Time

I can’t believe the changes I have seen in my husband (all things I knew that were deep down inside)! Up before the birds? Yes! Up before the sun? Sometimes.  Brian isn’t a morning person never has never will be. His favorite phrase to me in the morning (that isn’t a grunt) is “Too many words.”

He has a full time job!  This came as a shocker to everyone who knows him.  The last time he had a full time job was when he was 16.

The latest “WOW, what just happened here?!” is his construction project.  He and our land lord are constructing an 8X12 mudroom/entryway/pantry/storage unit thing.  It is almost done! I’ll post before/after and progress pictures when it is finished!

Church

We have been so blessed to find a church home.  They have welcomed us with open arms and allowed us to use our talents to serve the church. Also, this is big for me, I feel comfortable going when Brian is at work. His schedule (4 on 2 off) rotates even if it is Sunday or a holiday or he is sick or it’s 40-below outside.

The Oil Boom Impact

There are people everywhere, trucks everywhere, semis everywhere. Traffic! Hair appointments are four months out. Vehicle service booked out six weeks. DMV title and licensing three months behind. There isn’t enough food in Wal-Mart, and even with all of the check-outs open you are still looking at a 45 minute to an hour wait in line.

In June the city passed a ‘No RV Ordnance’. (I’ll keep my Soap Box put away on that subject) No impact on my home, so not to worry!

What I’ve Learned

That you can live in an RV when it is below zero (we didn’t have much of a winter so ask me how I feel after we have a real one with snow and wind and cold).

I can be proud of my husband with out a ‘but’ coming after.

Oil clothes + non-oil clothes X same dryer = all oil clothes.

You can live without an oven (but not a microwave).

Why have a magazine subscription when you have time to read them in line at Wal-Mart?

There are different colors of oil! Black, Brown (like you’d think), yellow, ‘Mountain Dew’…Montana has the black, thick stuff.

The light WILL turn green, just maybe not as soon as you would like.

A stop-sign is optional, always (according to the people who drive here).

Patience! When you are at the front of this line there will be twice as many people waiting.

Every state has a different vehicle title and sometimes they aren’t easy to fill out! (Best, Wyoming. Worst, California)

You can live without internet for your computer but only if you have a smart phone!

You can watch a full series TV show (hour long episodes) in 6 weeks but only if the Library isn’t open on the weekend (for your internet) and you put in some Saturday/Sunday Marathons.

The mountains in Montana are gorgeous! But nothing beats a ‘big sky’ sunset in your own back yard.

We couldn’t be on this Adventure without the love, thoughts, prayers and support of our family and friends back home.   Thank you all so much!!

The Beginning-

The journey of 1-million miles starts with one step.  Oh, and is that true!  

In April my Brother-In-Law Eli called my husband and tells Brian about all the work in North Dakota.  Brian laughs it off.  When he hangs up the phone Brian calls me into the room to tell me about the conversation.

"No. Do you know how far away ND is?" I argued.

"Yes, I don't want to go anyway." Brian says.

I could tell there was something different about this job idea that Eli was feeding Brian.  Eli has called Brian numerous times since we have been married to tell him about job offers and Brian never bites.  Brian is a very independent thinker.  He needs to know EVERYTHING about that something before he feels comfortable enough to even think about the possibility.  What was different?  ND was everywhere!  You couldn't turn around with out bumping into someone who lived/lives or knows someone who lives/lived in ND.  Oh, and the oil fields! Everyone knows someone who is making a killing with an oil company!  From April to May Brian did research, thought, planned and thought some more. (He likes to think).  When he told me he was going to peruse a job as a Tanker Driver for an oil company in ND as much as I hated it I was twice as much behind him.  I KNOW that my husband would do NOTHING to hurt me, himself, our marriage or put our two kids (they are dogs) in risk.  

The job applications are in.  The RV (my castle, yes we will be living in it) is getting tuned up and we are looking into a better car for Brian.  My home is in boxes that will be located in a spare bed room at my In-laws home until we come back.  Maybe 2years maybe 10 only God knows (and probably Brian too).  We are not in ND yet, Brian hopes to head out soon but I will linger till the end of the month to tie up the loose ends.

My husband and I have an amazing journey before us and we are young enough to set-out on this crazy adventure with nothing but hope!

So, here starts my blog.  I hope to be diligent enough to type to you in it everyday or at least when something interesting happens.  The only thing I ask for is prayers!  Prayers for Brian and his work-Prayers that I can find a good job out there too-Prayers for my health ( I was diagnosed with Lupus in 2009)-Prayers for the State of North Dakota and it's oil workers (not everyone likes the idea of drilling).

When we meet again I will be writing to you from the Plains of North Dakota! <3